Online auction giant eBay has cancelled plans to offer live pets for sale online after receiving thousands of negative letters from its users, according to the Associated Press.

While eBay has long since banned the sale of live animals with the exception of fish and snails, plans had been made for a separate classifieds category, similar to eBay Autos, which permitted the sale of live pets listed by animal shelters and private breeders.

One of the primary concerns in the more than 2,000 letters received regarding the subject was the inability for users to differentiate between legitimate animal shelters and what are known as "puppy mills," in which animals are bred in unsanitary conditions strictly for profit.